Dearly Beloved
by Oni-Gil
Summary: Kingdom Hearts ficlets, mostly Organization XIII-centric, with healthy servings of Sora, Kairi, and Riku.
1. Hand in Hand

**A/N:** Back on October 31st at about 11:30 p.m., I swore I would NEVER try to do this again.

On November 1st at about 12:01 a.m., I thought, "WOW, that was fun, let's do it again!"

At which point my rational self said, "Uh, NO. Not November, too."

"Okay! Let's do it for December!"

"..."

So here we are, a month later, and I have a new list of 31 prompts. This time they are plucked straight from the shuffle mode of my iPod, and I receive no other prompt except a character pulled from my pocket. (Well, tear a piece of paper into the proper number of scraps, write names on them, shuffle, and draw one. Since October killed me because I limited myself to scary/creepy stuff, this time there is nothing like that. (Don't expect scary/creepy stuff... I'm all scared/creeped out. XD) Without further ado, here is Sora to start us off with December.

* * *

7. Hand in Hand

* * *

Sora never thought about sharing a paopu with Kairi anymore. He, Kairi, and Riku had been through so much together that it wouldn't seem right. Whenever he thought back, Sora remembered

_long sunlit days on the Island, racing back and forth, the sand flying beneath their feet, laughing, breathing in the free salt air_

_splashing in the ocean, the sun burning bare skin but no one really caring_

_watermelon in the tree house_

_the cool darkness of the secret place, the smell and scrape of chalk on stone walls_

_the goldorangeredpurple of sunset, the curve of the tree_

and he split the paopu into three.

One for me. One for you. One for you.

Sealed with the burst of juicy sweetness.


	2. Prologue

6. Prologue

* * *

Five down at Castle Oblivion. Luxord has a suspicion that's mathematically perfect… thirteen minus five equals eight. But maybe it's just coincidence.

Luxord doesn't believe in coincidence. Neither did his other. It's a trait that stayed the same even as brown hair bleached blond and his name was scrambled, with an X added to the mix.

Axel is not to be trusted, but he is interesting to watch. His game is strange. He plays for high stakes, placing his own existence on the table. He plays against everyone. He plays for nothing. He cannot win what he wants… his prize was never meant to exist.

The destruction at Castle Oblivion was just the prologue. Luxord knows that more will follow—this game of deception and death and hearts and nothingness has already begun.

* * *

A/N: I may be late for the next few days, because of a concert I'm participating in, but never fear, everything will be up sooner or later! 


	3. Swim This Way

**A/N: **ShortshortshortshortSHORT. XD

* * *

18. Swim This Way

* * *

"Sora!" Donald squawked, squeejee-ing over to him. It was hard to swim as an octopus. "This is completely ridiculous! We're wasting time performing in this stupid musical!"

"Gawrsh, Donald," Goofy chuckled. "I thought it was kinda fun."

* * *

"Demyx, if you keep humming that ridiculous song, _I will kill you_."

"Gosh, Xaldin, I thought it was kinda catchy!"

* * *

**A/N:** Squeejee-ing is totally a word. You know it. 


	4. Ever After

6. Ever After

* * *

Belle was feeling rather uncomfortable about this whole thing.

"Who invited her?" she hissed at Cinderella.

"Alice," the other girl whispered back furtively. "She thought it might be fun."

"Fun?" Belle asked, casting a dubious eye over to where the young blonde woman was lounging. "_She's_ having fun, all right. Look, she's made Snow White cry already!"

"Maybe you're right," Aurora whispered from her other side. "I'd hate to spoil Alice's party, but…"

"It'll be spoiled anyway if we don't do something," Belle said decisively, and she made her way through the pillows, half-empty nail polish bottles, and teacups that littered the floor.

Larxene was halfway through a detailed account of Aladdin's sordid escapades (Jasmine pretended not to listen as she comforted a hiccupping Snow White) when Belle tapped her on the shoulder.

"Is something the matter?" the Nymph asked, the picture of innocence.

"It's getting late," Belle told her. "Don't you think you should be going soon?"

"Going? I thought this was a slumber party. You know, a 'sleepover,'" Larxene responded smugly. Belle didn't back down. She wasn't as fun to mess with as the others; she hadn't even batted an eye when Larxene told a little story about a certain beastly prince and a mop, but had responded in kind with rumors about the forces of attraction between pink-haired assassins and frosty blond scientists. "Besides, no one else has any of the gossip."

Belle just crossed her arms. Larxene scowled.

"But I haven't even gotten to Eric's thing with tentacles yet," she whined, and Ariel suddenly remembered something she'd left in the oven.


	5. I Know Things Now

**A/N: **What would anything by Oni-Gil be without those adorable apprentices? And Ansem, of course.

From the Kingdom Academy AU.

* * *

20. I Know Things Now

* * *

"What's the plural of genius?" Braig asked, lifting his eyes to the heavens in exasperation.

"Genii," Ansem and Xehanort said in perfect unison.

"Thank God you can't reproduce," Braid parried. "I don't think nature could stand in the face of such an unfair advantage. Too many geniuslings running around can mess up everything."

Although Xehanort choked on Braig's statement, the professor took the joke in stride.

"That's natural selection at its finest," he said, and his face was so horribly straight that for a moment, Braig wondered what kind of a scandal he had accidentally uncovered.

Then Ansem's poker-face cracked and all three of them burst out laughing.


	6. Winnie the Pooh

**A/N:** Holy moly, two apprentice!ficlets in a row. 8D

* * *

11. Winnie-the-Pooh

* * *

The light was so bright that both of them covered their eyes. A pair of startled yelps broke the stillness of the library as the ground seemed to tip beneath their feet and they fell forward, their heads miraculously not striking the hard table.

They landed in a tangle of limbs.

"Ouch," Xehanort said vaguely, too distracted by their surroundings to really care about the grass in his hair or the teenaged boy sprawled across his stomach.

"That was… unexpected," Ienzo said, adjusting his glasses as he sat up. "I had no idea that this book was enchanted…"

Before he could continue, Xehanort's fingers gripped the back of his head and turned him to look at the small yellow bear that was regarding them with beady black eyes.

"Oh, bother," it said.


	7. Agony

**A/N:** This is why I love doing these. They can make no sense at all and it works.

* * *

29. Agony

* * *

"You have something I want," he said. It laughed at him, the sound cold and cruel and not mirthful in the least.

"Can you want anything?" it asked, its lips twisted in a smile he remembered wearing long ago. "I thought it was beyond your reach to want.

Its look sharpened, anger and hatred, glorious emotion that he wanted to feel again concentrated into two narrow slits of amber.

"But then, perhaps mere want isn't quite emotion."

* * *

**A/N:** Kudos if you can correctly say what's going on. 


	8. Reviving Hollow Bastion

**A/N:** I love the apprentices and resulting Nobodies so much, you have no idea. For those of you who don't know me, expect a lot of ficlets featuring them.

* * *

21. Reviving Hollow Bastion

* * *

If he'd had a heart, he was sure it would have broken right there. As it was, his throat tightened up and his good eye stung, and all he wanted to do was run to the home that he'd watched die and curl up on the lap of the mother he'd never known and cry and cry until he had no tears left to give.

The Rising Falls were gone.

In a practical mindset, it made sense. The Restoration Committee needed somewhere to build the town, and there wasn't too much prime real estate around here any more. No one wanted to live where the original city had stood. That was hallowed ground. So there was really no choice but to destroy the Falls.

But still… the Falls.

The rainbow mist, the tang of salt on the wind, the dull rumble you could hear even from the depths of the castle which grew to a road as you approached… the guardian of the city, the life force of the Garden, and it was gone. There'd been no one left to speak for it. The kids who were in charge had been too young to remember the Falls. They'd never spent lazy afternoons on the banks, watching the rainbow mist, climbing the apple trees, swimming in the slowly swirling waters where the falls crested the cliffs…

But no more. The Rising Falls were gone.


	9. Land of Dragons

3. Land of Dragons

* * *

There were many things that Luxord didn't like about this infernal place. It was cold, for one, especially in the mountains. His teeth chattered and his piercings grew so cold that his ears ached. Snow was another bother… it got into his shoes, freezing his toes, and somehow filled his pockets. It was icy on the rocks, resulting in far too many embarrassing spills.

The worst thing by far was Xigbar's oh-so annoying habit of throwing snowballs at him.


	10. Go the Distance

**A/N:** Oh, I like this one a lot!

* * *

30. Go the Distance

* * *

A sigh broke the silence between them. Olette and Pence looked curiously over at Hayner.

"What's up?" the girl asked. "Is the ice cream bad?"

"Naw," Hayner said after a minute. "It's just…"

There was another silence. Above them, the clock tolled five. The train rattled past below them, its whistle blowing. Shops were closing up below them.

"I dunno," he said at last. "Something just… doesn't feel right. It seems like there's something missing. Like, I keep looking over and expecting to see someone sitting three. It's driving me nuts…"

He laughed, shaking his head, but his ice-cream was drooping from his fingers.

"It sounds crazy, doesn't it?" he muttered, mostly to himself.

"You know," Pence said thoughtfully, "I sort of feel that way, too. I keep laughing at weird things, like it's an inside joke, but I forgot it."

"Come to think of it, I almost got four ice creams," Olette added. "I'm not sure why."

They looked at each other.

"Ha," Pence chuckled finally. "We're just trying to forget that school starts tomorrow. That's it, right?"

Olette and Hayner laughed.

"Sure," Olette agreed. She twisted to check the clock. "I have to go," she said. "See you tomorrow!"

"School," Pence muttered glumly, following

Hayner lingered, sitting alone on the low wall as his ice cream slowly melted, little drops sparkling in the light as they fell. Even now, it felt as though he could glance to the side and see… _so close…_ someone.

It was on the tip of his tongue.

_Ro… Rox…_

He snorted at his own idiocy. What was he thinking, anyway?

Maybe… maybe he really _was_ going crazy.


	11. Ocarina of Time

13. Ocarina of Time

* * *

"Don't scoff!" Demyx persisted, following Zexion doggedly as VI again tried to escape. "Music can be very powerful!" 

"I'm sure it can, Number Nine…"

Demyx drew himself up. He had _evidence _this time.

"Yeah, it can! I just went to this world where this guy played different songs on an ocarina and all sorts of stuff happened! What was it again… Hy-brid? Hy-dro? Something like that…"

* * *

**A/N: **Let's think. What world could he POSSIBLY be talking about...? 


	12. Cinderella at the Grave

**A/N:** Tthis one is my favorite so far.

Set in the AU of my fic "Bond of Hearts." No one ever said these titles had to make sense... it's like abstract art. You've got to look at it strangely to get it.

* * *

4. Cinderella at the Grave

* * *

They only stopped once, when Xehanort suddenly fell to his knees and wept. It was the first sign of grief he had shown since the death, the only weakness he had ever exposed. His face was twisted in anguish, the fingers on the hands that covered it curled and stiff like claws, like he wanted to tear himself apart. His entire form was quivering as he bent, mouth stretched wide in an agonized scream, but no sound came. 

It was the silence that hurt Sora the most. The merciless grief, so controlled yet so passionate at once, tore at his heart and threatened to rend their only hope to pieces before their eyes.

Years of companionship showed their mark: while most of them only watched, dumbstruck at such an outburst of emotion, Ansem knelt before him and gently touched his arm in an offer of comfort. To their surprise, Xehanort accepted it, allowing himself to be drawn into the embrace, pouring his tears out into the warmth and safety of his king's strong arms. Gradually his shaking slowed, then stopped altogether, and the younger man shifted to wipe his face on his sleeve.

They stood together. Xehanort's eyes were now dry, though still full of unspeakable pain. The group moved on in silence—his grief had affected them all.

* * *

**A/N: **Who died? That, my dear readers, is what is known as a "spoiler." XD 


	13. Alone in the Universe

**28. Alone in the Universe **

* * *

  
Xemnas_ can't remember what it was like to have a heart._

Xigbar_ had to abandon everything he believed in and clings desperately to his friends._

Xaldin_ wants to love again more than anything but is forgetting too fast._

Vexen_ needs something to live for but can't find anything because he never reaches out._

Lexaeus_ needs a purpose to feel like he exists._

Zexion_ still believes that he is Ienzo despite what he says or even thinks._

Saïx _doesn't know what he believes so he clings onto his old traditions._

Axel _needs to feel that he can affect those around him in any way possible._

Demyx _refuses to acknowledge his lack of a heart._

Luxord _plays games to feel danger, risk, excitement, but he can't turn back the clock._

Marluxia_ is too proud to admit that he can't remember his past._

Larxene _wants to make others hurt so she can feel alive._

Roxas _wants to know._


	14. Affections Touching Across Time

**8. Affections Touching Across Time**

* * *

Kairi knows she'll see him again. She's never known Sora to break a promise, and he's not going to start now. So even when everyone else forgets about the boy with spiky brown hair, even when she forgets his name, she remembers him. He's the one who turned into the sky when the Islands rebuilt themselves. He's the one she gave her lucky charm to. He's the one whose pictures decorate the Secret Place, including the one feeding her a paopu. He's the one who still lingers on the edges of her dreams… 

Although she must have forgotten what he looks like, because sometimes his hair is blond.

It seems like it's been forever since he's been gone, but she knows that he'll come back to her, that old grin on his face, Riku in one hand and her lucky charm in the other.

She dreams of a boy in a town forever lit by the sunset. She dreams a lot of things that are strange. _She's_ never seen the castle in white. (Although if she thinks hard enough, she can remember one in stone. It looked like that place where Sora... did something for her. She can't remember what.) _She's_ never talked to the boy with tawny hair and a big stringed thing (_sitar._ _never heard of it... must be making it up.)_. _She's_ never been good at drawing, yet in the dreams her hands move easily over paper, bringing birds to life from the pages of her book. _She's_ never had to be terrified of a man with pink hair (_what a ridiculous idea, in waking life, but in her dreams she knows that there is insanity lurking in his angelic blue eyes, and that is where the danger lies_). _She's_ never tasted blue ice cream brought to her by a smiling man with fiery hair standing in spikes.

Her imagination runs away with her a lot these days, but she knows that whatever she may dismiss as mere fancy, the boy is real. The one from the town in the twilight...

No, the one with her lucky charm. Of course.

* * *

** A/N:** Kudos if you find my tip-o-the-hat to Songs! 


	15. Up Is Down

1. Up Is Down

* * *

For all that Xehanort had ever done to them, Braig couldn't help but use his new power to get some sort of petty revenge. It was deeply satisfying to grab Xemnas around the waist and flip gravity, perhaps more satisfying than it should have been to hear him gasp as they were suddenly hanging upside-down from the ceiling. Xigbar was used to it; Xemnas wasn't.

"You know, my hands might… slip… if you keep squirming like that," he teased, and Xemnas froze.

"Number Two," he said, barely-controlled panic lacing the edges of his voice, "you will put me back down at once."

Xigbar snorted, grinning, but decided he'd had enough revenge for one day.


	16. Beauty and the Beast

10. Beauty and the Beast

* * *

Axel's smile is unnerving. It suits him perfectly.

"And how is my little witch today?" he asks, his gloved fingers carelessly crumpling the picture she'd just been working on into a ball. She doesn't know why it annoys him when she draws happy things. Papers crinkle as he sits on the table. His hair is a red splash against the white of Castle Oblivion. He is so much more vibrant than her.

Naminé, by contrast, is unintimidating. She cowers in a chair that is too large for her, her feet dangling several inches above the floor. She is tiny, much shorter than him, and slender. She is a pale wraith; her light blonde hair, porcelain skin, and little white dress blend in with her surroundings. When she speaks, it is in barely more than a whisper. She keeps her eyes on the flood, her head lowered. She doesn't even reach out to try to rescue her picture.

"I'm not yours," she whispers. Axel grins at her.

"No, of course not," he agrees amiably. "You're Marluxia's."

She doesn't say anything, but he's already stuck again. Axel is always two steps ahead of everyone else.

"Can you remember that you _don't _belong to him?" he asks, his emerald eyes glinting in satisfaction. She looks at her hands, folded neatly in her lap. They've never held a weapon, only art supplies.

She doesn't answer him. She doesn't need to.


	17. Hello, Little Girl

**A/N:** So short because it's a companion to the one before this. Really, when I get prompts so similar to each other, what more is there to say?

* * *

26. Hello, Little Girl

* * *

There is something awfully familiar about this, Axel thinks, and in this bristling, red-haired girl he sees trembling hands and a whispering voice, colored pencils spilling to the floor after a startled jump. 


	18. He's A Pirate

**A/N:** I like this one. u.u

* * *

15. He's A Pirate

* * *

Jack really was impossible to deal with at times. He had silly obsessions with hats and sea turtles and compasses that didn't work. Sora supposed one got used to it, because Will just ignored it and Elizabeth just sighed and shook her head. Goofy liked Jack, but Donald couldn't stand him. Privately, Sora thought that half the reason that Jack was so infuriating was because of the duck's entertaining and explosive reactions. 

A life on the open sea was appealing. Devils and rotters and really bad eggs. Yeah, he could live like that. He liked the way Jack ran things. He could enjoy being a pirate, living the life of freedom, smelling brine, tasting salt on the wind…

But even that reminded him of home. Wouldn't he rather live in peace on the Islands with Riku and Kairi, like he'd always wanted, than go gallivanting off for treasure?

Riku would love it here. He could take him along next time. Kairi, too. And they would sing that horribly catchy song all the time, and they would be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Caribbean.

Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho...


	19. On The Street Where You Live

**A/N:** I'm really sorry about these short ones. My inspiration is shot. . Luckily, I'm on vacation now, so I'll have more time to ponder these! There won't be any other shrimpy ones, I promise!

* * *

5. On The Street Where You Live

* * *

Everything looked the same in the dark city of the Nobodies. Riku wiped rainwater out of his eyes, glad of the scant protection of a hooded coat and the black gloves that covered someone else's brown skin. The castle hovered above the rooftops, white against black sky, presiding over its city with majesty. 


	20. The Second Star to the Right

**A/N: **Good gods, it's Echoes all over again!!!

* * *

27. The Second Star to the Right

* * *

**Encounter 8.5**

* * *

"You know," Zexion said thoughtfully, "I remember things much more clearly now."

"Is that so?" Marluxia asked lazily. He was too busy with Zexion's coat to pay much attention.

"Slightly sat too close to the fire one night. A spark jumped and caught his pants on fire. We all thought it hilarious."

Zexion frowned.

"Strange. I can't think why that would be so funny," he said. "If something like that happened now, it wouldn't be funny. It could hurt."

"Children have a very strange sense of humor," Marluxia agreed. "Lia once put a toad in Luc's bed."

"Shouldn't Luc have put the toad in Lia's bed?"

"If you knew her, you wouldn't ask such a silly question," XI chided gently. Zexion smiled faintly.

"No doubt Lia and Jean thought this was a great joke," he said in reply. Marluxia nodded.

"So did Aramuil," he confessed. "I recall he laughed. It's odd, but… I don't see what was so funny about it."

"I would theorize that Nobodies lose their sense of humor along with everything else," Zexion said slowly, "but…"

Marluxia laughed, predicting the end.

"Xigbar?" he asked. Zexion shook his head in wonderment.

"He's not lost any of his," he finished.

* * *

**A/N: **Woohoo! Now if you want to know what's going on (of course you do) -shameless self-advertisement moment- go read Echoes! (If you don't mind a bit of yaoi! XD) /shameless self-advertisement

And of course, as per true Echoes tradition: Review or Luxord will make you lose every card game you play in the next twenty years!


	21. The Stars and the Moon

24. The Stars and the Moon

* * *

Larxene was difficult to get to know, but easy to please once you did.

"What'd you bring me today, Mar-Mar?" she purrs, leaning over your shoulder so her hands slide down your chest, fingers already reaching to pluck the book from your hands.

"Nothing that you would enjoy, sorry," you answer, and she fakes devastation, slumping overdramatically onto the back of the chaise.

"Mar-Mar, why don't you bring me something _dirty_?" XII whines. It's completely fake, because there's a glint in her eyes that usually means a small woodland creature is about to be fried. You ignore the disgusting nickname.

"As you know, our tastes differ," you reply.

"I don't think so," she murmurs. She giggles in that way of hers, the way that would make lesser men cower in fear, and slides over the top of the chaise to land directly on top of you. You move the book just in time, and you're sure to mark your page before setting it aside. Larxene obviously has more interesting pursuits than reading in mind…


	22. It Would Have Been Wonderful

14. It Would Have Been Wonderful

* * *

If only things had been different. How would they have been different? How _could_ they have been different?

If only Sora had never come here. If only he'd destroyed Zexion and Lexaeus when he'd had the chance. If only he'd picked a different target for his gloating. If only he'd never come to Castle Oblivion. If only he hadn't joined the Organization. If only he'd never become a Nobody.

"If only"s weren't going to get him anywhere, not now. Not while Sora was coming.

And yet it still bothered him.

If only he'd listened to Vexen. If only he hadn't trusted Axel. If only he'd acted sooner, forced Naminé to rearrange Sora's memories more quickly. If only he hadn't underestimated the Keyblade's power…

How differently things would have turned out.


	23. What's This?

31. What's This?

(From a folded piece of paper discovered lying in the corner of one of the castle rooms in Hollow Bastion by the Restoration Committee.)

yawn borrring…

no kidding. can you even understand half of what he's saying?

waaaay over my head

"management blah blah society blah blah blah…"

:) something like that

can we ask Ienzo for his notes, do you think? or would he not let us copy them?

why not Even's, he'd let you, and you'd let me?

his handwriting sucks

but he takes better notes

he almost saw us!!!

yeah :D but he didn't, so we're okay

what?! a quiz tomorrow? (did I spell that right?)

(dunno) yeah, what's up with that?!

It's gotta be a hundred degrees in here.

We need a breeze… I'll ask to open the window.

Hey, Ienzo, can we borrow your notes later? Please?

No. Do your own.

what?! how mean!

he's sharing with Elaeus.

:) look at Even yawning. it's funny.

long night, Even?

No kidding. Kairi was crying ALL NIGHT.

aw, that's too bad. she okay?

Yeah, just cranky. She's got a cold, or something.

need me to take a look?

No, I think Master Ansem's got it covered. Thanks, though.

hey Dilan, Even's pretty hot when he stretches, dontcha think?

shut up, Braig.

Can I kill him later?

be my guest

hi, Elaeus

You really should pay attention. This might be important.

it's the same thing every stinkin' day

Then it's important.

oh come on. we're gonna steal Even's notes later anyway.

Good luck.

Why is everyone commenting on my handwriting?!

…sorry, Even…

Yeah, yeah, shut up.

XD he almost caught us again

Think he's getting suspicious?

dunno, with Master Ansem it's hard to tell

hey Dil, Even's stretching again

Braig, if I were you, I'd stop that.

I wanna shoot a paper clip at him

Who, Master Ansem?

no, Ienzo

XD haha, he's gonna kill you later

you're dead meat, Braig.

who wants to play hangman?

sure

Wait, let me guess: "Dilan and Even, sitting in a tree: K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

XD how'd you guess?

…Braig, now I'M going to kill you.

shoot. But Kairi likes me, so you wouldn't dare. Plus Ansem would disown you.

then we'll do it secretly, so he doesn't know. we'll get Xeha to help. are you in or out?

…what?

Wanna help us kill Braig?

Oh. Um… I don't know.

dude. it's not a serious question.

For a minute there I thought you were serious.

25 minutes to break. This is boring.

and if Even says it, WOW.

Excuse me?!

I meant that you're ALWAYS paying attention. But now you're not, so it must be the most boring thing ever.

hey Dillllan—

you're flirting with death now, Braig

yeah, but you're flirting with Even…

_Braig!_

hey Braig, how's your girlfriend?

which one? XD

you two shut up!

I'm hungry…

aren't you always?!

I wonder. Is that even possible?

I dunno… Even, you hungry?

No.

you should eat more. Stick figure. :)

I swear, that clock is going backwards.

…is _that_ even possible?

you think too much, Xeha

And?

(Before anyone could reply, Ansem called a break.)


	24. Brush Up Your Shakespeare

9. Brush Up Your Shakespeare

* * *

"Is it just me," Axel asked, "or are the first seventeen all about him trying to convince women to sleep with him?"

Roxas sighed.

"It's called _poetry_, Axel," he growled, tugging his book back out of VIII's hands.

"Are you trying to give me a hint, having me read stuff like that?" Axel asked with a wink, but his charm was lost on Roxas, who only turned away.

"I thought you could use some culture, but it seems as though my effort was wasted," he said. "Did you even read them all? He's a brilliant writer. 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?'"

Both were surprised to hear Lexaeus' seldom-used voice from behind them as he passed my.

"'Thou are more lovely and more temperate. Rough wings do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date.'"

Roxas raised his eyebrows.

"Well," he said, handing the book over to Axel again. "At least _someone_ appreciates it. I think I'll go hang out with Lexaeus from now on. Better study, Axel."


	25. No One Is Alone

12. No One Is Alone

* * *

It seemed like years that she waited for Sora and Riku to return. It could have been months, or just days. She used any excuse possible to go to the Island… if they were coming back to anywhere, it would be there… but her dad rarely asked questions. As long as she was home by nightfall, as long as she ate something. It was, after all, summer vacation. 

Kairi felt confident in going home for night. They wouldn't return at night.

Sometimes, as she waited, she felt Naminé stirring inside her.

_That's right… you're waiting too, aren't you?_

Something inside of her glowed in affirmation.

_Roxas promised we'd see each other again._

* * *

Kairi wasn't sure what she thought of Nobodies. Her encounters with them ranged from frightening to warm. There was Axel, who had kidnapped her. But he'd turned out all right in the end. There was Saïx, who had used her as bait for Sora. There was Xemnas. 

But there was Demyx, who had sung to her and given her things to do, who had smiled and laughed just like a real person. There was Roxas, who was almost like Sora. And then there was Naminé.

Kairi wasn't sure about her, either. Should she hate her for stealing half of herself? Or was it another matter entirely?

Naminé was quick to give her input. Xemnas wasn't all bad… he'd tucked her in at night, checked her room to be sure there were no monsters hiding there. Xigbar had told her stories and jokes. Luxord played games and brought presents. Xaldin had brought her books. Even Saïx had brought trinkets that he found in other worlds. She mentioned names Kairi didn't know, except from the Proof of Existence. Lexaeus, who cared for her when she was ill; Zexion, who understood all her teenage fears and hopes; Vexen, who treated her like a person instead of an object; Marluxia, who gave her roses; even Larxene, who was the only other female associated with the Organization. Then, of course, there was Roxas, who made her feel like she had a heart.

In the end, Kairi decided, Nobodies were like people. Some are good, some are evil, but all of them have seeds of both within them. They can't be judged as a group. They laugh and cry and feel pain, and even if they only act on memory, at least they try.

* * *

**A/N:** XD somehow I always veer off topic. 


	26. Dearly Beloved

17. Dearly Beloved

* * *

Naminé was a Nobody. She could not feel. Larxene was quick to remind her of this.

"Another picture of Sora?" the older woman scoffed, tearing the sheet from Naminé's notebook. "Sora, Sora, Sora, always Sora."

Her lip curled as she examined the picture.

"You draw him so cutsie-like," she sneered. "I think you've got a little crush on him."

She laughed the way she always did, contemptuous and cold.

"Well, guess what, sweetie?" she said. The sound of tearing paper grated on Naminé's ears, and she looked down at her lap. "You_can't_."


End file.
